North and South Korea hold rare high-level talks

AFP, SEOUL

Seoul and Washington have made it clear there is no question of this year’s drills being canceled, but US officials have indicated they will be toned down, with no aircraft carrier and no strategic bombers.

Because the Korean War ended with a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty, North and South Korea technically remain at war.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who came to office a year ago, had promised greater engagement with Pyongyang and held out the possibility of a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Substantive dialogue between the two sides mostly dried up under Park’s predecessor, former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak.